Korea Traffic Laws for Tourists: Rules to Know Before You Drive

Korea drives on the right, and speeds and distances are shown in kilometres. Most rules will feel familiar, but a few work differently from many other countries: you must stop before turning right on a red light, you may turn left on a green light only where a sign allows it, and school zones and bus lanes are strictly enforced. This guide summarises those rules from the Road Traffic Act and other official sources, checked on 5 November 2026. Road signs and police instructions on the spot always come first.

Key rules at a glance

• Right turn on a red light: stop at the stop line first, then turn only if you do not get in the way of other traffic. If a right-turn signal shows red, do not turn.
• Left turns: wait for the green arrow. A left turn on a green light is allowed only where an unprotected left turn sign (비보호) is posted.
• Crosswalks: stop when a pedestrian is crossing or about to cross.
• School zones: usually 30 km/h, with no stopping or parking.
• Bus lanes: rental cars may not use city bus lanes.
• Alcohol: 0.03% blood alcohol concentration is the legal limit.
• Seat belts: in every seat, and a car seat for children under 6.

Turning right on a red light

Under the signal rules of the Road Traffic Act, when the main signal is red, a car turning right must first stop before the stop line, crosswalk or intersection. After stopping, it may turn right only if it does not get in the way of traffic moving on its own signal. Where there is a separate right-turn signal and it shows red, you may not turn right at all.

Pedestrians come first. If someone is crossing a crosswalk or about to step onto it, stop before the crosswalk, or at its stop line if there is one, and wait. This applies at every crosswalk, with or without traffic lights.

Turning left

A green light lets you go straight or turn right. You may turn left on a green light only where a sign or road marking shows an unprotected left turn (비보호좌회전). Otherwise, wait for the green left-turn arrow.

School zones

School zones (어린이 보호구역) are set up around kindergartens, primary schools and some childcare centres, and many are marked with red road surfacing and yellow signs. Local authorities can limit the speed there to 30 km/h or lower, and the law requires enforcement cameras to be installed in school zones as a priority. Stopping and parking are not allowed in a school zone.

Penalties are heavy. If a driver fails to drive with care in a school zone and injures a child under 13, the law sets a prison term of 1 to 15 years or a fine of KRW 5 million to 30 million. If the child dies, the sentence is life imprisonment or at least 3 years.

Speed limits

Follow the posted signs. Where no other limit is posted, the Road Traffic Act's enforcement rules set these maximum speeds:

Slow down further in bad weather. Drive 20% below the limit when the road is wet from rain or there is less than 20 mm of snow, and 50% below it when heavy rain, snow or fog cuts visibility to 100 m or less, the road is icy, or there is 20 mm of snow or more. If an electronic speed sign shows a limit, follow that sign.

Bus lanes

Bus lanes are marked with blue lines. On ordinary city roads, only buses and certain designated vehicles may use them, so a rental car may not drive in a bus lane while it is in operation. The hours are shown on signs and road markings. If you are not sure, stay out of the lane.

In Jeju City, some main roads have public transport priority lanes for buses and taxis. Rental cars should stay out of these lanes too.

The bus lane on the Gyeongbu Expressway, which runs south from Seoul, follows different rules. Vehicles with 9 or more seats may use it, but a car or a van with 12 seats or fewer only when at least 6 people are on board. The operating hours and sections are shown on the road signs and change around holidays, so follow the signs on the day you drive.

Alcohol, seat belts and phones

• Drink driving: a blood alcohol concentration of 0.03% or more counts as driving under the influence. You must take a breath test if the police ask. If you plan to drive, the safest choice is not to drink at all.
• Seat belts: the driver must wear a seat belt and make sure every passenger in every seat wears one. Children under 6 must ride in a child car seat.
• Phones: do not use a phone while driving. The exceptions are when the car is stopped, when you are reporting an emergency, and when you use a hands-free device. Set your navigation before you start.

VISITKOREA, the Korea Tourism Organization's travel site, recommends Naver Map or Kakao Map for navigation in Korea.

Traffic fines on an Orcar rental

Many violations in Korea are recorded by unmanned cameras, so a fine notice can arrive after your trip. On an Orcar rental, you pay any traffic fines, parking tickets and tolls from your rental, including notices that arrive after you return the car. When we receive a notice, we may charge the amount to your card on file. If that charge fails, we send you a payment request. If it isn't paid within 15 days, future bookings may be restricted. See Fines and tolls in our Help Center.

Jeju has no toll roads. Around Seoul, many expressways have tolls. Use the Hi-Pass lane only if My Trip shows a Hi-Pass device for your car. Otherwise, pay at the toll gate as the signs show.

When protection does not cover damage

Korean law lists 12 serious offences for traffic accidents. If damage to your Orcar rental results from any of them, no protection plan covers it, including All-Inclusive:

• Ignoring a traffic signal, a police officer's directions, or a no-entry or stop sign
• Crossing the centre line, or making an illegal crossing, U-turn or reverse on an expressway
• Driving more than 20 km/h over the speed limit
• Breaking the rules on overtaking or cutting in
• Breaking the rules at a railway crossing
• Failing to protect pedestrians at a crosswalk
• Driving without a valid licence or without your international driving permit
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Driving onto a pavement
• Failing to stop passengers from falling out of the car
• Failing to drive with care in a school zone and injuring a child
• Failing to secure a load so that it cannot fall

Protection also does not apply if someone who is not registered on the booking is driving.

If something happens on the road

First make sure everyone is safe, and call 112 for police or 119 for fire and ambulance if needed. Then contact Orcar right away on WhatsApp. If it is safe, take photos of the scene and the cars. For travel help, the 1330 Korea Travel Hotline (+82-2-1330) answers in Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Vietnamese, Thai and Indonesian.

Documents to carry

If your licence was issued outside Korea, a valid International Driving Permit (IDP) is required for insurance coverage on a rental in Korea. There are no exceptions by country or state. Carry the IDP, your physical home licence and your passport whenever you drive. With a Korean licence, the licence alone is enough. Read more in our IDP and licence guide.

FAQ

Can I turn right on a red light in Korea?

Yes, but only after a full stop at the stop line, and only if you do not get in the way of other traffic or pedestrians. If a separate right-turn signal shows red, you cannot turn.

What is the drink-driving limit in Korea?

0.03% blood alcohol concentration. At or above that level you are driving under the influence, and Orcar protection does not cover damage caused by drink driving.

Who pays a speeding fine from a rental car?

The renter. On an Orcar rental, that includes fines that arrive after you return the car.

Can I drive in the bus lane with a 9-seat van?

Only in the expressway bus lane, and only with at least 6 people on board. City bus lanes are not open to rental cars.

Official sources

• Road Traffic Act (law.go.kr, Korean): articles 11, 12, 27, 32, 44, 49 and 50
• Road Traffic Act Enforcement Rule, Annex 2: traffic signals (Korean)
• Road Traffic Act Enforcement Rule, Article 19: speed limits (Korean)
• Road Traffic Act Enforcement Decree, Annex 1: bus lanes (Korean)
• Korean National Police Agency notice on expressway bus lanes (Korean)
• Act on Special Cases Concerning the Settlement of Traffic Accidents, Article 3 (Korean)
• Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, Article 5-13 (Korean)
• Jeju Special Self-Governing Province: public transport priority lanes FAQ (Korean)
• VISITKOREA: Driving in Korea

Checked on 5 November 2026. Laws and notices can change, and signs on the road take priority.

Planning a drive in Korea? Search cars for your dates in Jeju or Seoul on orcar.ai.